No Binotto move from Mercedes - Wolff

28th December 2018, 13:48 by Craig Smithson

Mercedes have not made an offer to take Ferrari's technical director Mattia Binotto, according to team boss Toto Wolff.

The speculation about Binotto's future at the Scuderia has been rumbling on since the summer when it was claimed that there had been a falling out between him and the team principal Maurizio Arrivabene.

Despite Arrivabene denying the claims, it has not stopped the rumours from circulating and suggestions that Mercedes were set to take advantage of any rift by luring him to their team ahead of the 2019 campaign.

However, Wolff has now spoken out to nip the reports in the bud and told La Gazetta dello Sport: "No, we have not offered a contract to Binotto.

"I can say that he is an excellent engineer, but under the leadership of James Allison, we have a first rate technical team and therefore we are not looking for anyone else."

Wolff also took the opportunity to insist that Aldo Costa will be staying on, despite moving into a consultancy role after he was replaced as head of the engineering team by chief designer John Owen.

"Aldo is not just a colleague, but also a friend, he will not leave Mercedes," added Wolff.

"Our team has a dynamic structure, we have to develop and provide young people with opportunities and responsibilities.

"What I like is that no one leaves our team unsatisfied, I can assure you."

This article originated on sportinastorm.com

Craig Smithson is a journalist with over two decades of experience at the keyboard. A life-long Middlesbrough fan, Craig has an in-depth knowledge of all football and is also a keen fan of boxing amongst other sports.